LeBron James: 'I will not shut up and dribble'

[SummerMadness]

Speaking out against what? What is the stance?

You asked a question to which you already have the answer. I think your question also comes from a misunderstanding of what a stance is.

 

[Anto9us]

in 1936, I think it was a "stance" simply that Jesse Owens ran and won, and a corresponding 'stance' that Adolph Hitler was so ticked off about a non-aryan winning the event

 

[Anto9us]

I stated above that RG3 got a degree in Political Science - that was his Bachelor's Degree - he went on for a Masters in Communication

 

[SummerMadness]

in 1936, I think it was a "stance" simply that Jesse Owens ran and won, and a corresponding 'stance' that Adolph Hitler was so ticked off about a non-aryan winning the event

Lest people forget the shifting goal posts with a misunderstanding of the word stance:

The notion that sporting events are not connected to politics is ludicrous on the face of the 1936 Olympic Games, integration of any US sport, etc. It's always been about politics, which is one of the reasons athletes are attacked for speaking out.

The 1936 games were about showing off German power and claiming Aryan supremacy. It saw the Nazification of their sports to push the idea of the "pure" German race.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Why is the onus only every put on the left-leaning celebrities to "shut up and entertain us, don't talk politics"?

Yet, when a celebrity comes out bashing liberal policies or politicians, or says something in-line with the republican agenda, it's front page material on Fox News and conservatives quote it all over Facebook.

IE: Why does the GOP feel justified in the statement "Shut up an dribble", yet, I've never heard one tell Nugent to "shut up and play the guitar"

 

[iluvatar5150]

Why is the onus only every put on the left-leaning celebrities to "shut up and entertain us, don't talk politics"?

Yet, when a celebrity comes out bashing liberal policies or politicians, or says something in-line with the republican agenda, it's front page material on Fox News and conservatives quote it all over Facebook.

IE: Why does the GOP feel justified in the statement "Shut up an dribble", yet, I've never heard one tell Nugent to "shut up and play the guitar"

Maybe it's because nobody wants to hear him play guitar anymore?

 

[bhsmte]

James is free to speak his mind and others are free to speak theirs. Appears the system is working the way it is supposed to.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Maybe it's because nobody wants to hear him play guitar anymore?

lol, I'm still a fan of his music.

...and truth be told, I never found him to be all that obnoxious prior to him getting on the NRA payroll.

Up until late 1990's, he was always just the "rocker who likes to hunt for his own food" guy. Perhaps he was always that obnoxious and didn't show it, but it seems like around the mid-late 2000, things took an aggressive turn.

 

[iluvatar5150]

lol, I'm still a fan of his music.

tbh, I don't hate it, though I can kinda take it or leave it. When I was making that post, I hit up youtube for some videos to reinforce the joke, fully expecting that his playing these days would be really bad. But it's not. It's pretty decent.

 

[Liza B.]

LeBron James: 'I will not shut up and dribble' and says Fox's 'rap sheet' for racism not the best

It might have been offensive but it wasn't racist. A common trope to singers of any race is, "shut up and sing", and to actors, "shut up and act". Meaning, we don't need your political opinions. Do your job.

 

[dgiharris]

It might have been offensive but it wasn't racist. A common trope to singers of any race is, "shut up and sing", and to actors, "shut up and act". Meaning, we don't need your political opinions. Do your job.

by this logic, then the "only" people who should give political opinions are politicians???

Just saying

I find it so strange that in a country that is suppose to prize liberty and freedom and free speech that we seem so intolerant of people expressing their opinions.

I guess some of us are just jealous that others have a bigger platform than we do so their opinions get heard by more people?

 

[Liza B.]

by this logic, then the "only" people who should give political opinions are politicians???

Just saying

I find it so strange that in a country that is suppose to prize liberty and freedom and free speech that we seem so intolerant of people expressing their opinions.

I guess some of us are just jealous that others have a bigger platform than we do so their opinions get heard by more people?

I think the idea is that Hollywood/celebrities have become SO politicized. Especially Hollywood. We don't care about these people's political opinions. We just want them to sing/act/dribble.

 

[USincognito]

I think the idea is that Hollywood/celebrities have become SO politicized. Especially Hollywood. We don't care about these people's political opinions. We just want them to sing/act/dribble.

There's that "we" again that I keep seeing on CF...

 

[High Fidelity]

They probably shouldn't be interested...but that's up to them to decide. Colin Kapernick decided to mix politics with his sports career, and I heard it worked out great for him.

Kept him relevant. He was barely average as a quarterback and certainly not starting QB material.

 

[SummerMadness]

It might have been offensive but it wasn't racist. A common trope to singers of any race is, "shut up and sing", and to actors, "shut up and act". Meaning, we don't need your political opinions. Do your job.

The racism is attacking his intelligence, claiming his words are intelligible and attacking his education by (wrongfully) calling him a high school dropout. The attack on African American's intelligence is nothing new, we saw the same thing with President Obama where there were right-wing outlets demanding his school transcripts because they were convinced he was not smart enough to be in school (because no black person deserves to be in the Ivy League because in their heads they've twisted affirmative action to mean unqualified). Straight up, no one is fooled by the coded language used by the right-wing anymore, and you can thank the current president for that.

 

[Liza B.]

The racism is attacking his intelligence, claiming his words are intelligible and attacking his education by (wrongfully) calling him a high school dropout. The attack on African American's intelligence is nothing new, we saw the same thing with President Obama where there were right-wing outlets demanding his school transcripts because they were convinced he was not smart enough to be in school (because no black person deserves to be in the Ivy League because in their heads they've twisted affirmative action to mean unqualified). Straight up, no one is fooled by the coded language used by the right-wing anymore, and you can thank the current president for that.

If someone is going to see racism in every interaction, they will see it in every interaction. I can't help that. No one can. I just walk around it.

 

[SummerMadness]

If someone is going to see racism in every interaction, they will see it in every interaction. I can't help that. No one can. I just walk around it.

You claimed that telling someone to shut and do their job is not racist, no one said it was. What was pointed out was the attack on LeBron James's intelligence, something that is commonly done with black athletes. This also goes for telling them they are being "given" a privilege, ignoring the revenue they've created and superiority in the field.

 

[Liza B.]

You claimed that telling someone to shut and do their job is not racist, no one said it was. What was pointed out was the attack on LeBron James's intelligence, something that is commonly done with black athletes. This also goes for telling them they are being "given" a privilege, ignoring the revenue they've created and superiority in the field.

Athletes are privileged, no matter what race. They absolutely are. I'm not saying they're privileged without merit, talent, or work. But you bet they are privileged. They are usually millionaires and sometimes multi-millionaires.

They are also not always the sharpest academic tool in the shed. This is true regardless of race, btw. But then they are not employed for their academic prowess, same as rocket scientists are not employed for their ability to shoot baskets. So I'm not seeing how this is racist.

 

[Rion]

Why is the onus only every put on the left-leaning celebrities to "shut up and entertain us, don't talk politics"?

When does that happen? You have Nugent, Brady and... I think that's it. And only one of those is even popular.

 

[Anto9us]

I guess the only "special interest group" that I am a part of is Veterans. And believe me, veterans are VERY sharply divided politically -- Trump-bashers and those who say 'well, he's the President' -- almost comical the heated language I hear just in going to a medical appointment at the VA...

As far as the black athletes that are also a CLASS ACT as a person, gosh, so many -- Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, LaDainian Tomlinson

(he teamed up with RG3 for some philanthropic endeavor with kids; something badly needed between TCU fans and Baylor fans, cuz I tell ya, the two "specifically Christian universities" in the Big 12 - their fans hate each others' guts, its not just a healthy rivalry -- it's hatred)

The athletes are whole persons, their lives are not just 'on the field'; they're Americans. Or world citizens.

Last night the Baylor women (no 3 in the nation) beat the Lady Longhorns (#6) in Austin - a big, big win - no small part played by Wallace the Australian